Mozambique Renewables: Zambezia province to have country’s first solar power plant

The financing of the construction of Mozambique’s first solar power plant to be built in the Mocuba district of Zambézia province will be completed this month, the president of state power company EdM said on Monday in Maputo.

“The negotiations for the release of funds and the start of the project are in the final phase,” said Mateus Mogala, according to Mozambican newspaper Notícias, and the European Union, through the Trust Fund for Africa, will contribute 4 million euros.

Magala said that the Mocuba power plant, with an installed capacity of 40 megawatts, is expected to start commercial activity in August 2018, contributing to improving the quality of power supplied in the district and elsewhere in Zambézia province.

The president of EdM, speaking at the launch ceremony of the Renewable Energy Auctions Promotion Programme (Proler), said that negotiations for the construction of the Metoro solar power plant in Cabo Delgado were also at an “advanced stage of development.” The Metoro plant will also have an installed capacity of 40 megawatts of electricity.

The Proler programme is intended to stop direct concessions of electrification projects using photovoltaic systems through the Ministry of Mineral Resources and Energy, and the process will now be conducted through public tenders launched by EdM.

State-owned EdM, which has the support of the European Union and the French Development Agency, should identify the region that can be electrified on renewable energy, commission studies and hire contractors through the best technical-financial proposal. (source: macauhub)